WRITING TUNE-UP FORCLAIMS PROFESSIONALS

©Syntax Training

Do you write correctly, clearly, and professionally?

A one-day workshop in Dallas, Texas

November 17, 2009

Learn tips and methods to improve your email, letters, and reports to policyholders, coworkers, agents, vendors, attorneys, and others!

�Your session at PLRB was high-energy, practical, engaging, and interactive. You focused on the challenges and changes needed to improve the quality and clarity of business writing, whether internal reports or external letters. Anyone who is committed to becoming a better writer can�t help coming away from this training armed with the necessary skills and knowledge.�

Terry N. Eddington, Claim Manager, Property & Inland Marine Claims�Dallas, Great American Insurance Group

Enhance your writing skills. Learn to: Get results by following the rules of email etiquette and efficiency.

Use a practical strategy to plan and write email, letters, and other claims documents.

Break up stringy sentences for quick comprehension.

Use formatting to highlight your key content. Recognize when and how to change from passive to active voice verbs.

Eliminate jargon and other words that clog the message.

Recognize and eliminate bad writing habits. Recognize and repair errors in punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and usage.

DATE & TIME

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

PLACE Team One Adjusting Services�National Training Center at 8701 John W. Carpenter Freeway

TARGET AUDIENCE

Claims professionals who want to write clearly, correctly, and professionally

TRAINING PROVIDER

Syntax Training http://syntaxtraining.com

REGISTER Register for the class online at http://tinyurl.com/syntaxtraining-ins. To learn more, phone or email Michael at 206-782-8410 or michaelj@syntaxtraining.com.

WRITING TOOLS AND JOB AIDS Take these tools back to your job to maintain excellent writing habits:

A 30-page manual on effective business writing, filled with examples, exercises, and additional resources

A 90-page manual on the rules of writing�punctuation, grammar, etc.�with exercises

110 Tips for Sending Email That Gets Read�and Gets Results, a valuable 30-page booklet

60 Quick Word Fixes, a guide to confusing word pairs

Writer-to-Reader Planning Checklist, on paper and as an electronic template

12-Point Editing Checklist, a laminated book-marked sized checklist

Quick-Reference Guide to Error-Free Writing, a four-page desk guide to the rules of writing

10 weeks of follow-up learning reinforcement

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston Business Writing Specialist and Founder of Syntax Training Since 1990, Lynn has helped thousands of managers and employees improve their writing. Clients include

Professional Insurance Communicators of America, Premera Blue Cross, Safeco, PLRB/LIRB, TIAA-CREF, Dorsey and Whitney LLP, and many others. Lynn has taught managerial communications in the MBA program at the University of Washington�s Foster School of Business.

Lynn practices what she teaches. She has written and edited documents for the National Cancer Institute, Esterline Technologies, the state of Washington, and other organizations over many years.

Lynn earned her M.A. in communication from the University of Notre Dame.

�PICA was really impressed with your session. In just two hours, you ramped up our profes-sional writing skills, and we�re thankful! I know our group will be able to immediately apply your tips, sound practices and wisdom to their business communications.�

Kirsten Amspaugh, 2008 Conference Chairperson, Professional Insurance Communicators of America

�We would definitely recommend the Writing Tune-Up workshop to any business that wishes to improve the quality of written communications with customers, vendors or other businesses.�

Nancy Ballard, Human Resources, AAA Washington/Inland

YOUR INVESTMENT Register and pay by Oct. 17: $445 per person. Register and pay after Oct. 17: $495 per person. The fee covers the full-day skill-development program, extensive training materials, lunch and refreshments, and follow-up learning reminders. REGISTER Online at http://tinyurl.com/syntaxtraining-ins or phone 206-782-8410 and use a credit card or request an invoice. Invoices must be paid within 10 days of registration to hold your place in class. YOUR GUARANTEE You must be confident that your writing skills have improved, or your fee will be refunded.

CANCELLATION POLICY Cancel by October 17 and receive a full refund. Cancel by November 3, and get a 50 percent refund. There is no refund after November 3, but you may send a replacement.

TO LEARN ABOUT SYNTAX TRAINING Visit the web site at http://syntaxtraining.com, and learn more about business writing at Lynn�s blog at http://www.businesswritingblog.com. Call us at 206-782-8410 with questions.

Meet the Instructor

Register at http://tinyurl.com/syntaxtraining-ins. Or call or email Michael Johnston at 206-782-8410, michaelj@syntaxtraining.com.

YOUR LEARNING AGENDA When you submit your learning goals, the instructor will adjust the agenda to meet your individual needs.

8:30 A.M. Welcome to class! Find out how you will meet your learning goals.

8:40 A.M. Identify best and worst practices for writing documents.

9:00 A.M. Discuss case studies to recognize effective writing in letters, reports, email, and other pieces.

9:30 A.M. Use the Writer-to-Reader Checklist to plan typical documents you write.

9:45 A.M. Take a break with snacks provided. 10:00 A.M. Complete a variety of lively writing

and editing exercises: cut extra words, format complex information, get to the point, simplify, break up stringy sentences, focus on action, change passive verbs, communicate positively, and more.

12 NOON Enjoy an informal box lunch. 12:45 P.M. Go over the results of the pretest you

completed on grammar, punctuation, and usage.

1:00 P.M. Review correct sentence structure. 1:30 P.M. Master possessive forms (for

example, customers� and customer�s). 2:00 P.M. Take a break with snacks provided. 2:15 P.M. Review punctuation: commas,

semicolons, colons, periods, etc. 3:00 P.M. Brush up on capitalization, number

use, grammar, and confusing word pairs such as affect and effect.

4:15 P.M. Plan your next steps to continue to improve your writing.

4:30 P.M. Leave class equipped with tools, job-aids, strategies, and practical information to apply to your writing immediately.

�In the sales and service of the intangible product of insurance, it is crucial for insurance professionals to communicate effectively to advance trust with customers. I recommend attending Lynn�s class to improve your written communication skills. Her class helped me focus my attention on the reader and increase my success in sending a clear message. �In addition to Lynn�s class, I find her e-mail newsletters a powerful supplement to enhance my learning and my ability to communicate effectively.�

Bruce DeJong, Casualty Analyst and Development Consultant, Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Company

et the Instructor

As a claims professional, you write daily. This hands-on session helps you communicate clearly and correctly in the email, letters, and reports you send to coworkers, policyholders, agents, vendors, attorneys, and others.

Your documents must be professional, clear, and correct. Poorly worded communications can cause confusion and lead to added work, delay, and frustration for adjusters, policyholders, and internal customers.

This practical, fast-paced session helps you clear up your claims messages so they are free of errors and easy to read and understand. It helps you compose messages that will be approved as submitted instead of rewritten, edited, or corrected by others.

Writing Tune-Up for Claims Professionals focuses on writing and on the mechanics of writing. It provides you with examples, tools, tips, and practice to enhance your written communica-tions and identify and eliminate common errors.

Why a Writing Tune-Up?

Register at http://tinyurl.com/syntaxtraining-ins. Or call or email Michael Johnston at 206-782-8410, michaelj@syntaxtraining.com.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is the class for beginner, intermediate, or advanced writers? Writing Tune-Up for Claims Professionals is for writers at every level. Just as every vehicle benefits from an occasional tune-up to improve efficiency, everyone can benefit from a writing tune-up. Participants apply the tips, tools, and strategies to their own writing at their level. Both native English and ESL writers will get useful, easy-to-apply tips, resources, and practice.

Will I get any individual attention in the class? The session is limited to 20 attendees, and you will get individual attention. In prework, the instructor, Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, will ask you about your writing goals, and she will address them in class. If you bring samples of your writing and talk about the challenges you face, Lynn will give you specific suggestions on your work.

Will I need to share my writing with other people in the class? My work is confidential. You will not need to share your writing with other participants. If you want feedback from the instructor, please bring pieces that are not con-fidential or proprietary. The instructor can also sign a non-disclosure agreement if you provide one before the class.

Is this one of those seminars that are all about selling products? No selling or marketing takes place in the class. The session is completely focused on better writing skills for every participant.

Do I need to bring a laptop to class? You may bring a laptop, but it is not required. The in-class writing exercises and case studies are short and can be completed on paper.

May I attend to scout out the class for our firm? You are welcome to attend as a scout. Please register and participate as a learner. If you decide to offer the class at your organization, we will deduct your registration fee from the cost of the first class you schedule.

Will I actually write better after the class? Better writing is guaranteed if you participate fully in the training. At the end of the program, you must be confident that your writing skills have improved, or your fee will be refunded.

Where is the class held? The class takes place at Team One Adjusting Services�National Training Center, in Dallas. The street address is 8701 John W. Carpenter Freeway. Free parking is available, and the building is wheelchair accessible.

IS THIS CLASS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Enroll in Writing Tune-Up for Claims Professionals if any of these are true of you:

▪ You want your writing to lead to positive relationships and get positive results with customers, adjusters, and others.

▪ You want to apply best practices in your email, letters, and reports.

▪ You want to communicate positively even when the message is bad news to your reader.

▪ You want a refresher to be sure your writing skills are up to date.

▪ You want to feel confident about the letters you mail and the messages you send.

▪ You want to produce error-free documents.

▪ You want to edit, proofread, and approve documents skillfully and confidently.